Christmas Spirit
by Sweetlilloz
Summary: Being selfish isn’t in the spirit of Christmas as Stella will find out. DL FA SM


Pairing: DL with a sprinkling of SM and a dash of FA

Universe: AU RIKKI NEVER HAPPENED neither did Pay Day so Danny was never in a wheelchair. Long haired Lindsay cos I think Anna looks so much better with long hair then short.

AN: Hella don' kill me I will do one without smacked but this one just popped into my head. the ends a littl lacking but I wanted to get it up on christmas day in aus. If there are any mistakes they are all mine my grammar isn't the best but please read anyway.

Disclaimer: Nothing nada zip zilch don' own it, if I did do you really think that thing called Rikki would have been around and do you think I would have killed off Jess?...NO I wouldn't have but alas it is not mine it is what it is. So join me in my little world of 'not-denial-just-different-view-on-reality' and we can bask in the glory of my uber fluffy mind together.

Premise: Being selfish isn't in the spirit of Christmas as Stella will find out.

* * *

If there was one thing that Stella hated more then anything in the world…well apart from guys who thought they were better then women and criminals who thought they could out smart her, was the fact her friends kept secrets from her. Ok so they were single and she was married but still that didn't mean they had to keep everything from her. But it seemed these days that was all Lindsay Monroe and Jessica Angell did. Sure they told her lots of thing, some of them interesting but she wasn't stupid and in a job like her's she picked up on when people weren't telling her things. And her friends who happened to work with her should have known that. But they continued to leave her out of what ever they were into. So she Stella Bonasera Taylor decided to play dirty. The annual NYPD Christmas party was coming up and every year Mac made it optional for them to attend. Most times Lindsay was out of town, visiting her family in Montana and Jess would be in New Jersey visiting her family while it was left for herself Mac and either Don, Danny or Sheldon to be there for the crime lab. But not this year this year she was going to do some arm twisting; and make sure her friends had to go. So walking out of the bathroom she put a dazzling smile on her face as she came out to greet her husband.

"Mac Honey I was thinking, Sinclair is always asking if the whole lab could be at the Christmas party one year and you know that the only way you're going to get them all there is if you make it mandatory." She said sitting down next to him Mac Taylor laughed and looked at his wife, she wasn't the one to bat her eyes and pout to get what she wanted but it was exactly what she was doing at the moment.

"What do you want now?" he asked chuckling slightly.

"To know what Jess and Linds are hiding from me. I know it has to be something but they wont tell me and I want to know." She said sadly sighing he kissed her temple.

"If you go back to being the women I married then I will" he said Stella nodded winked at him and got up heading off into another room.

* * *

Danny Messer's jaw dropped when he noticed the announcement sticking to the fridge. This years NYPD party they all had to attend? Well there went his plans. Rolling his eyes he placed his mug in the sink and walked off, running into Lindsay on the way out.

"Can you believe this; he's making us all go. The one year I actually have a niece to spoil and I can't go" she said handing him the email she had printed out.

"Went a little over kill don't you think?" Danny asked poking her nose slightly Lindsay shrugged and looked up at him.

"I was excited for you to come with me this year and I had so many things planed it's not fair," she muttered Danny nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Next year, I promise nothing will keep us away, we still on for tonight or are you and Jess doin' somethin' with Stell?" he ask lifting her chin with is forefinger to look in her eyes.

"I don't know I don't think Jess has seen this yet. Maybe I really couldn't stand to be around Stella at the moment I love her and all but-

"She's married the devil I know how ya feel. We'll call them tomorrow" he said taking a step back as he saw Mac and Stella walking towards them.

"I see you both saw the message sorry but Sinclair insisted this year every one must attend we had plans of our own that we had to cancel." Said Stella both detectives in front of them nodded and headed off leaving Mac to raise his eyebrow at his wife.

"Your meddling ways are going to back fire when they find out they didn't all have to go." He said Stella waved him off glad her plan was working her friends would forgive her in time when they saw how silly it was too keep things from her.

* * *

Danny Messer looked around the bar till he saw his friends sitting in a booth Lindsay on one side with Don and Jess on the other. Sliding in next to Lindsay he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"From tha look on ya face I'm guessin' ya know" he said picking up the beer Lindsay had ordered him and taking a sip.

"Oh yeah we know. Mac told us then Stella told us. I swear there was a twinkle in her eye when she said it. I bet she planed this. S'ok for her, she's first grade as well but Don's first grade and I'm third" said Jess scrunching the napkin in her hand.

"Its not just you, Danny and I are both third grade but no Sinclair's told Mac no more relationships like he can control who people go out with." said Lindsay resting her head on Danny's shoulder.

"It's not like we let it interfere with our work. How long you two been going out now?" Flack asked smirking as Danny played with Lindsay's hair he always found it amusing how touchy feely Danny got when not a work and it was just the four of them.

"Almost a year" Lindsay said batting Danny's hand away from her head.

"Three weeks and it will be a year…what you got up me last year when I forgot your birthday I wrote it down after we had that dinner so I wouldn't forgot- both his friends and girlfriend look at him amused.

"Ok so maybe I got a reminder this morning telling me it was in three weeks and maybe I'll get another one the week of. But hey you can't say I don't remember things now can you?" he asked poking Lindsay's nose.

"There's logic in that madness some where I'm sure of it" said Jess laughing looking at Lindsay strangely when she sat up and lent on the table instead of Danny.

"SBT coming right for us" she muttered

"who?"

"Hey guys, where's Sheldon and Adam?" Stella asked sitting down next to Danny making him move over and squishing Lindsay into the side of the booth.

"Not being dateis interuptis obviously" Lindsay muttered into her drink causing Jess to snort into her own drink, both women cracked up laughing.

"Are they ok?" Stella asked as both women tried to calm them selves down as Danny and Flack nodded.

"Ok then I'll be back just going to the ladies" she said getting up and making her way through the bar.

"Scissors paper rock to see who gets to leave" said Don holding out his hand.

"Yeah right you stuck us with her the last three times I don't think so. Have fun" said Danny getting up and pulling Lindsay out of the booth.

"I won't cheat this time I swear,"

"That's what you said last time Don and you did you laughed about it all the way back to my place let them go this is your punishment I have to go anyway I start at six," said Jess kissing his cheek and getting up leaving with there friends. Don sighed and rested his chin on his hand waiting for Stella to come back.

"Hey where'd every one go?" she asked sliding into the booth again.

"Jess is working six till six tomorrow, Danny has to cancel his plans and Lindsay has to call the airline and cancel her non refundable tickets, I'd stay away from her if I were you. You're second in charge and she's not very happy with you or Mac at the moment." He said leaning back in his chair while holding onto his beer carefully in one hand as not to drop it.

"Why not?" Stella asked sitting down.

"She spent two weeks worth of pay to get those tickets, plus countless hours trying to get on the right flight that would get her to Bozeman very early tomorrow so she could be there when her six month old niece woke up for her very first Christmas. As I said their non refundable tickets she'll be in a lovely mood for the ball tomorrow. That and I gotta call my parents and tell em that I can't make it either, so does Jess and well Danny was planning something. Don't know what he wouldn't say." Stella nodded they would forgive her, or at least not hide anything from her again one way or the other she was going to find out what was going on with her two young friends while at it finding out what Danny would have been up to.

"Ok well I guess that just leaves you and me." she said wondering why he was getting up.

"Can't stell I gotta call my mum before its too late and I'm on for a couple of hours tomorrow. See ya at the ball ok" he said getting up and walking off. Stella sighed and looked around the bar there wasn't much point in hanging round here she was about to get up when a waitress came over.

"Oh your paying the tab tonight Mrs. Taylor that comes to thirty four ninety" said the young women there wasn't much use in arguing the fact that she hadn't had anything to drink she paid the tab and headed home.

* * *

Inside the main ball room of one of New York's finest hotels there was a winter wonderland. Icicles hung from the ceiling as if they had always been there a massive Christmas tree sat in one corner adorned with the most spectacular Christmas ornaments Stella had ever seen. It was so high she couldn't even see the top of it from where she was standing. NYPD had gone all out this year, not that every other year hadn't been good it had but this year, this year she knew was going to be great. Looking around she saw so many people she knew and so many more she didn't. This was going to fun she thought.

"Is there anyway we could go in mingle and try and catch our flight?" Lindsay asked folding her arm over her nice ball gown; it wasn't even hers it was Stella's they had been called to her old apartment building to pick it up last night after they had left the bar.

"Doubt it here comes Stella" said Danny resting his hand on the small of her back as Stella grinned at them.

"This is great isn't it? So beautiful and the tree have you seen one that big?" Stella asked smiling as Mac came over and kissed her temple.

"Yeah every year at home" said Lindsay before excusing herself and heading over to where Jess and Don had just walked in. Mac sighed he knew this would happen making people come when they had other plans; always made for a spoiled party.

"Was it something I said?" Stella asked looking at the two men she was standing with both nodded one walking off while the other took her hand in his and squeezed.

"This is why I don't make it mandatory; if they want to come they will come, but its Christmas eve and every one here tomorrow gets to spend the day with their family-

"Every one but Lindsay even Jess could get there if she left right after this finished. But Lindsay would get there tomorrow lunch time at the earliest. But only if we're not snowed in" Said Stella now she realized this was her Christmas wish her selfishness about what her friends were keeping from her was what made her ask Mac to say they had to come when clearly they rather be some where else.

"I have to fix this, But I don't know how" she said looking around for her friend she couldn't see any of them. Well Sheldon, Sid his wife and Adam but no Lindsay, Danny, Jess or Don.

Stella spent an hour walking around the massive ballroom looking for the four young people who she had disappointed by ruining their plans. On her third lap she noticed a door open. Peeking into the room she couldn't believe what she saw. It was small room that had a few very plush couches around the room. A sitting room was her guess. She was about to say something when she saw Danny who was sitting next to Lindsay pull her closer and kiss her temple. Before whispering something in her ear; when her friend lifted her face Stella could see the tear tracks running down her face. "I wanted to be there, to dress the tree, for my niece, so they could see that moving so far away was a good thing and I wanted them to meet you." she said resting her head on Danny shoulder, and smiling up at Don who handed her a handkerchief before wrapping his arm around Jess's shoulder.

* * *

Walking back to the table that her husband was sitting at Stella slummed down in the chair next to him.

"I'm a horrible person. I was thinking of myself and what I wanted for Christmas not of my friends and what they might be doing" she said quietly. Mac looked over at her questioningly he had been wondering where she had gone in face he was wondering where half of his team was.

"Danny, Lindsay, Jess and Don are hiding in a room, away from here because they didn't want to be here. I'm a horrible person" she said looking at him.

"A horrible, horrible person." She muttered lifting her chin so he could look her in the eyes Mac raised an eyebrow.

"why are you a horrible person?" he asked.

"Danny and Lindsay were going to go to Montana, they're dating as are Jess and Don and they couldn't tell me. Lindsay is in there crying because she wanted to go home, she wanted to see her family she wanted Danny to meet them I wrecked it I wrecked what she wanted to do. That is why I'm a horrible person I wanted to know what they were keeping from me. It turns out everything. They thought they had to keep their relationships from me because we're married and you're the boss." she said sadly.

"well we'll just had to rectify that wont we" said Mac getting up and taking her hand.

"What are you up to?"

"You'll see"

* * *

Danny Messer wrapped his arms around his girlfriend as they danced slowly to the music being placed by the brass band on stage. Lindsay Monroe had reapplied her make up and was keeping her head down. she would be a good CSI and celebrate with her co-workers as she had to But really she would be thinking of home. of how right about now she'd be walking out of the airport and over to her fathers truck talking and laughing while her mitten cover hand was wrapped around Danny's; and how in an hour they would be sitting round the fire talking about everything that had happened in the year. From her sister teaching in Malibu, to her brother traveling around the world; then they would all turn to her and question her about this man who she had bought with her. The thought of being at home made her smile if only for a minute a two.

"you thinkin' of somethin' Montana?" Danny asked noticing the smile. The song ended and they headed off the dance floor Danny lent against the wall and looked down at Lindsay who smiled and tip toed before kissing him on the cheek.

"wha-

"You're under mistletoe" she said winking at him Danny laughed and pulled her closer to him.

"Now you are too" he said before kissing her softly only to be interrupted by some one clearing their throat. Danny and Lindsay jumped when they saw Sinclair standing in front of them tapping his foot.

"What do we have here?" he asked Lindsay bit her lip as Stella and Mac walked over to them.

"What do you have to say about this Taylor I thought I said no more romances?"

"First off, you can't really tell them who they can and can't see. Second off I told them to keep it out of the office. This is the first time I've seen them as a couple the entire year they have been going out" he said Sinclair muttered something none of them could quite catch under his breath before storming away.

"You better go if you want to make your flight to Montana; I'll see the both of you next year." He said stepping aside so that both of them could see the bags they had, had packed for a week.

"How?"

"Your parents helped us Danny, now go before I change my mind."

* * *

It was very late last night that Danny and Lindsay arrived at the Monroe ranch. Heading off to her old room as soon as they got there much to the displeasure of her father; come Christmas morning Lindsay rose and walked over to her bedroom window looking out she smiled this was what Christmas was ment to be. Spending it with family was what it was all about well to Lindsay anyway. She smiled as Danny wrapped his arms around her.

"Morning baby come on lets go see this tree you spent the whole flight telling me about" he said taking her hand. Lindsay grinned and skipped off down stairs with Danny laughing behind her. The tree was massive it was bigger then the one at the ball. He stood there looking at it for half an hour. Walked around it studding it like there was going to be an exam on what was on it.

"Hey you, you've been looking at it for half an hour here" said Lindsay walking out of the kitchen and handing him a cup of coffee. Danny nodded and turned to look at her.

"It makes the one I grew up with so small by the time I was twelve I was taller then it this…this is a Christmas tree. I saw the little statue of liberty before, and something that had Malibu and a couple of things from France and England. Its wow" he said Lindsay smirked.

"I have a new one to add this year wanna see it?" She asked Danny nodded. Putting down her cup of coffee Lindsay picked up the small box that was sitting on the table next to them. She opened it and picked up the ornament. It was a decorated bauble Danny looked closer it was decorated with pictures of the two of them. Grinning he looked up and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I love it"

"love what?" Lindsay father asked coming up behind them.

"the new bauble I have for the tree" said Lindsay handing it to her father Ian Monroe looked at it and say one of this Danny guy kissing his little girl.

"No room sorry" he said placing it on the table.

"Ian there's always room, and you never denied the one of Emma and her fiancé even though they aren't here and you haven't met him yet." Add it or I'll turn you into a bauble and add you" said Ginger Monroe Ian rolled his eyes and found a spot at the back of the tree.

"Ian-

"Its ok mum at least its on there, and some ones gotta be at the back." said Lindsay

* * *

7 am came around and every one of the Monroe family extended and otherwise was sitting around the tree. Lindsay sat on Danny lap her head resting on his shoulder a massive grin on her face this was what Christmas was. Family together no matter the differences; so many presents were opened most of them for the youngest member of the family. Once every one was getting ready for lunch Danny got up and cleared his throat.

"I have one gift left" he said turning to Lindsay he got down on one knee which made every one's jaw dropped.

"Marry me" with two simple words he made a whole room scream but to him there was only one person he wanted to hear. And he was looking at her now waiting for her to reply to his less then traditional question.

"Yes" she said grinning at him Danny winked a her while slipping the simple small gold ring onto her finger.

"I know most guys get diamonds but I'm not most guys. Its emerald your-

"My birthstone Danny I love it. I love it more then a Diamond. It means more" she said kissing him resting her new ringed finger on his face only coming apart when they heard an all familiar cough.

"Sorry Daddy" said Lindsay looking over at her father. Ian Monroe was still a little iffy about Daniel Messer he didn't know him at all. But at least he had met this man unlike his Emma's fiancé, and knowing that Lindsay wasn't really a diamond girl ment something it ment Danny knew her and if his daughter trusted him well that was good enough for now.


End file.
